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Ventura County fire burns 45,000 acres

A fire that broke out Monday evening in Ventura County has already burned 45,000 acres and dozens of buildings.

The blaze, dubbed the Thomas Fire, started at 6:28 p.m. Monday north of Santa Paula near highways 150 and 126, according to Cal Fire. As of Tuesday morning, the Thomas Fire has burned 45,000 acres and is 0 percent contained.

Santa Ana conditions have fueled the fire, which has destroyed about 150 buildings, including some apartments. There have been unconfirmed media reports of a fatality.

Authorities have ordered evacuations in Santa Paula and the city of Ventura. All schools in the Ventura Unified School District are closed Tuesday. Additionally, there have been power outages as far north as Goleta.

The Ventura County, the City of Ventura and Santa Paula fire departments are working together to battle the blaze. The cause of the fire is under investigation.